LANGUAGE BARRIER EXPERIENCED BY STUDENT TEACHERS AND THEIR STRATEGIES DURING INTERNATIONAL TEACHING PRACTICUM

Teaching practicum is of paramount importance in the training of student teachers
as it provides immersion into the real-world school environment, preparing students
before they graduate from university. International teaching practicums offer future
teachers the opportunity to broaden their teaching abilities and personally grow in
diverse contexts. However, the language barrier presents a significant challenge
when teaching abroad. This study explores the experiences of 15 student teachers
regarding language barriers and their strategies to overcome them. This research
employed qualitative research methods, utilizing a modified open-ended
questionnaire, individual follow-up interviews, and recorded journals/blogs to
collect data. The findings revealed that student teachers from Indonesia, Thailand,
and the Philippines encounter various language barriers, including limited
vocabulary, accent variations, dialectal differences, frustration, miscommunication,
and cultural sensitivity. In addition, student teachers elaborated on their strategies
to overcome these language barriers. Furthermore, two students’ responses and the
school environment's reactions to the language barriers experienced by student
teachers were predominantly positive. The solutions proposed by student teachers
to overcome language barriers have implications for assisting future student
teachers in navigating similar experiences and implementing strategies into their
programs.
Keywords: Language Barrier, Strategy, Student Teacher, International Teaching
Practicum